Deeksha Sikri

About Deeksha Sikri

Book recommendation? "The Emperor of All Maladies" by Siddhartha Mukherjee – I recommend this to all my students! This book, written by a physician, bridges the gap between science and humanity, offering a poignant perspective on our understanding of cancer through patient stories. Primarily for medical students, this book uses real-life scenarios to introduce oncology concepts and inspire curiosity. I often quote examples from it, such as using hCG as a tumor marker, naming Reed Sternberg cells in Hodgkin lymphoma, and multidrug chemotherapy regimens for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It makes teaching oncology more realistic and shows how far we've come, paving the way to better understand and combat one of medicine's biggest challenges.

Professional ambitions? To spread the good word of pathology far and wide! Whether a medical student aspires to be a Pathologist or not, appreciation of the field is vital to foster teamwork between medicine's clinical and diagnostic branches. I hope to contribute to the ongoing effort to elevate the profile of pathology and impart a deep-seated respect for its role in understanding the foundations of disease processes, and its applications. If I can inspire someone to take up pathology as a career in the process, that’s a gratifying bonus! When you love something, you want to share it with the world and hope they see it the way you do. My vision as a pathology educator is to transcend boundaries through the various forms of content I love to create on Pathodoodles and otherwise in the universal language of pathology.

Inspiring mentor or educator? I’ve been lucky enough to train under Ashok Parameswaran during my residency, who helped me understand the nuances of histopathology, the significance of gross pathology, and the beauty of cytopathology – day in and day out. He taught me never to forget what lies on the slide under our lens or in our hands on the grossing table – to never disconnect from the patient, even if we don’t see them in a clinic or the wards. He amplified and elevated my appreciation for the art of pathology in a way that compels me to do the same with my students today. 

I have had the opportunity to learn from, train, and work with a great many inspiring and dedicated pathologists – imbibing traits and insights from each and will continue to do so. Equally important in my journey so far have been my students. Their doubts, feedback, and appreciation drive me to improve my educator skills continually.